About Adam Coates

I grew up in rural north west Tasmania and have always loved discovering the wonders of nature. My early work was in the hospitality industry, as a farm hand, and as a labourer/operator in the waste water industry. I always enjoyed understanding how things worked, which led me to studying civil engineering at the University of Tasmania. My dislike of the imbalance between theory and practical forced me to take a break. A road trip through the heart of mainland Australia revealed a passion for solar energy, which led me to studying Renewable Energy Engineering at Murdoch University in Perth, WA. Financial issues led me to accepting a position as a waste water treatment plant operator on a LNG refinery in Karratha WA. This insight into the destructive nature of modern business led me to seek an alternative.

My introduction to Permaculture was at an early age when i found the Permaculture Design Manual. I can remember being extremely interested but i must of been too young to understand the real need. It wasn't until much later in my life, 2011 that i saw Geoff Lawton's "Greening the Desert", this video forced me to question my belief that man was incapable of creating anything as complex and as impressive as nature. The idea that we could assist nature to not only recreate what has been lost, but to evolve new wonders truly inspired me.

I have begun transforming all that i have learned into reality on my families 20 acre block in NW Tasmania, and I am working on setting up some broad acre trials on a friends dairy/cropping farm.

I find myself drawn towards the principles of Holistic Management, the Biological Theory of Ionisation (Dr Carey Reams), and the mixed herbal ley pastures used by Newman Turner, and i endeavor to learn more and implement them where ever i can.